The Talich Chamber Orchestra, known in abbreviated form as TKO, was founded in 1992 by the violinist Jan Talich Jr., the great-nephew of the legendary Czech conductor Vaclav Talich. The Talich name evokes the strong reputation of a tradition of Czech musicians, but more than that, it embodies a commitment to great artistic responsibility. In recent years Jan Talich, as the orchestra's artistic director, has been devoting a large part of his professional career to conducting the orchestra, whose members are graduates of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and winners of numerous prizes internationally and at home. The orchestra's members always show a high level of professionalism under the distinctive direction of Jan Talich that guarantees the highest quality of musical interpretation at the orchestra's concerts. The Orchestra has received strong acclaim from both Czech and foreign critics and artists.
Today the Talich Chamber Orchestra can be compared among the ranks of other top chamber orchestras due to the fact that it has worked with a number of prominent conductors, including Sir Charles Mackerras, Vladimir Volek, and Josef Suk.
The Orchestra consistently works with the best Czech soloists, such as Josef Suk (violin), Vaclav Hudecek (violin), Gabriela Demeterova (violin), Pavel Sporcl (violin), Jiri Barta (violoncello), Michal Kanka (violoncello), Jana Bouskova (harp), Petr Jirikovsky (piano), Karel Kosarek (piano), Ludmila Peterkova (clarinet), Radek Baborak (French horn), Karel Dohnal (clarinet), Magdalena Kozena (Mezzo-Soprano), Eva Urbanova (soprano), Roman Janal (Baritone).
The TKO has also worked with internationally renowned foreign artists, for example Shlomo Mintz (violin), Chen Halevi (clarinet), Patrice Fontanarosa (violin), Quirine Viersen (violoncello), Konstantin Lifschitz (piano), Michel Lethiec (clarinet), Marie Devellereau (soprano), Staffan Martensson (clarinet), Ophulie Gaillard (violoncello), Alexei Ogrintchouck (oboe), Ralf Gothoni (piano), Alexander Holshoff (violoncello), Gil Sharon (violin), Eglise Gutierrez (soprano), Valerie Yeng-Seng (soprano).
The TKO performs regularly at a number of music festivals, such as the Prague Spring and the Prague Autumn international music festivals, the Cesky Krumlov Chamber Music Festival, the Prague Music Festival, Talich's Beroun Music Festival, Pribram's Dvorak Festival, Concentus Moraviae and Czech Dreams.
The Orchestra also plays concerts abroad, for example in Switzerland (Crans Semaines musicales, Festival international de Musique - Sion - Valais), Germany (Festival Mitte Europe, Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Joseph Haydn Festival - Schloss Bruhl, Music Festival in Bamberg), France (Festival Nuits de Meguve, Festival du Haut - Bugey, Festival d'lle de France), Holland (Amati Chamber Music Festival), Croatia (Music Festival Zagreb, Split Festival), Slovenia (Ljubljana Festival) etc. Among other TKO concert activities there are annual cycles of Abonent concerts held in Prague. These concert cycles were usually held in St. Agnes Convent or at Zofin. In the season 2006/2007 they took place in the Liechtenstein Palace, Lesser Town Square.
The Orchestra performs private made-to-order concerts for businesses and other institutions. And namely, they are already organizing the 6th New Year's concert in the Spanish Hall of the Prague Castle with the attendance of the President.
The TKO records CDs at Czech and foreign music companies (including French EMI Records), and it is currently working on its own CD projects. In the Czech Republic one of the CDs recorded is a collection of covering works from the Baroque period up to the 20th century, from Bach's Brandenburg Concertos to Strauss's Metamorphosis and Schonberg's Transfigured Night.
The orchestra has also recorded a number of other independent CDs; examples of this work include an arrangement of Brahms's Hungarian Dances interpreted by the French violinist Patrice Fontanarosa and Czech Musical Treasures, with Josef Suk and Zuzana Ruzickova. On the 250th anniversary of the birth of W. A. Mozart, the TKO recorded a CD with compositions for violin and orchestra.
The violin solos are played by Jan Talich.

Roman Patocka belongs to outstanding figures of the ascending soloist generation. After graduating from Prague Conservatory (class of Dagmar Zarubova) and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (class of Ivan Straus) he continued his studies at various institutions abroad: first in Utrecht (class of Keiko Wataya), later in Lubeck (under direction of Shmuel Ashkenasi). At the moment he is in the last stage of master diploma studies under the guidance of Stefan Picard at Musikhochschule "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin.
Along with his studies Patocka attended number of master courses under the guidance of prominent musicians of our time. He graduated from the International Musical Academy in Montpellier (Ruggiero Ricci, Stephen Shipps), attended the summer courses in Semmering (Hagai Shaham) as well as the International Master Courses of Keshet Eilon (Ida Haendel, Georgy Pauk, Vadim Gluzman). Patocka managed to take the advantage of all the experience he gained during his studies at numerous music competitions. He was awarded 2nd Prize and 4 Special Awards at the Prague Spring competition in 2003, won Yamaha Scholarship in 2004, became the laureate of the Vaclav Huml International Competition in Zagreb and in 2005 he won 2nd Prize at the Ibolyka-Gyarfas competition in Berlin. In 2007 Patocka placed 3rd at the Pablo de Sarasate International Violin Competition in Pamplona. Aside all the above mentioned awards Patocka was chosen by the Committee of the 14th year of the German Fund of Musical Instruments competition and was lent a violin by Enrico Ceruti (Cremona 1845) that is a warden donation from Bleu de Brasil, Fazenda Iparanga.
Roman Patocka performs as a soloist with prestigious orchestras in the Czech Republic and abroad (Hamburger Symphoniker, Filharmonie Nagoya, La Orquesta Sinfonica de Navarra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Prague Philharmonic). Patocka worked together with Jiri Belohlavek, Vladimir Valek, Jakub Hrusa, Douglas Bostock, James Blair, Yoko Matsuo and Hideaki Hirai. Together with Brno Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras Patocka performed Little Souls's Wandering by Leos Janacek. He also cooperated with Chamber Orchestra Berg to premiere Czech Rhapsody for violin and orchestra by Bohuslav Martinu. As a chamber player Roman Patocka cooperates with the foremost Czech players: Jiri Barta, Jan Talich, Radek Baborak, Martin Kasik and Lubomir Maly. He represented the Czech Republic at the international exhibition EXPO 2005 in Aichi, Japan. Patocka performed at various festivals: Les Heures Romantiques au Pays de Monthodon, Lange Nacht der Musik in Vienna, Les Journees Romantiques du Vaisseau Fantome in Paris, Shafran Festival at Waldenburg castle, Chopin's festival in Marianske Lazne, Prague Music Festival and other. Roman Patocka recorded number of pieces for Czech Radio, BBC Radio 3, ORF, Radio 4 Netherlands, Romanian Radio and Japanese TV NHK. In 2006 together with pianist Frederic Lagard he recorded a CD in France (Beethoven, Suk, Dvorak, Bartok).

Jan Talich (1967) studied at the Prague Conservatoire and later at the Prague Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts under Vaclav Snitil. Already at this time he was giving recitals and performing with orchestras around the Czech Republic. He received scholarships to further his education in both the USA with Shmuel Ashkenasi and then with Yfrah Neaman at the Guildhall School of Music in England. In 1989 he won 1st prize at the Vaclav Huml International Violin Competition in Zagreb, which started his international solo career, playing with orchestras and giving recitals throughout Europe (Paris, Birmingham, London, and Brussels) and the USA. He has recorded several solo CDs of Czech music, as well as Beethoven and Mozart concertos. He regularly gives master classes both at home and abroad: in Telc, Dijon, Angers, Prades and the Conservatoire Superieur in Paris.
In 1992 Jan founded the Talich Chamber Orchestra, of which he is the soloist and artistic director. He was also a founding member of The Kubelik Trio. During his time with the trio he performed throughout Europe and recorded the complete set of Dvorak's trios, along with the works of Smetana, Suk and Novak. He left the trio for the post of 1st violinist in the Talich Quartet in 1997, one of the world's leading ensembles of its kind. With the Talich Quartet he has performed to great reviews in most of the world's most famous halls. This list includes the most famous venues in America and Canada, including Carnegie Hall, regularly in the best known halls of Europe such as Wigmore Hall, Beethovenhaus, Herkules Saal (Munich), Chatelet, Theatre de Champs Elysees and Gaveau. They are also regularly touring the major halls of Japan, South America, Mexico and South Korea. Their discography is extensive, covering most of the famous Czech quartets, along with other interesting projects such as the complete quartets of Mendelssohn and the complete set of Shostakovitch's chamber works for strings and piano.
As well as conducting his own orchestra since its foundation he has in the last several years begun to broaden his career as a conductor. He is now increasingly asked to work as a guest conductor with many other orchestras in the Czech Republic and abroad. In 2008 he became the chief conductor of the South Chamber Philharmonic orchestra.
As a violinist Jan Talich plays two violins, Stradivari's violin, created in 1729, and a violin by master Gagliano, made in 1780.

Accord Quartet was founded in 2001, by four students of the Music University (Music Academy) named after Ferenc Liszt. They set the connecting of our modern world and classical music as their objective, by means of performing chamber music with new thoughts at new venues. They have been regularly performing home and abroad.
The list of the location of their past concerts in Hungary includes the Main Hall and the Chamber Hall of the Music Academy, the Old Academy, the Bartok House, the French Institute, the Marble Hall of the Hungarian Radio, the Budapest Autumn Festival (2004, 2005 and 2006), as well as in provincial towns and cities, namely Debrecen, Gyor, Eger, Dunaujvaros. They have successfully broadcast in the Hungarian Radio. They also gave concerts in almost all countries and great concert halls of Europe, such as in Museum of Fine Arts of Bruxelles (BOZAR), Museum of Fine Arts of Madrid, in the Hermitage of Saint Petersburg. In April, 2008, they had an honour to give a concert to the Royal Family of Belgium and the President of Hungary.
In 2002, 2003 and 2004, they participated in the Vienna-Budapest-Prague International Summer Academy; where they could study with the greatest representatives of the medium, with members of the Amadeus Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet, Janacek Quartet, Smetana Quartet, Mozaik Quartet, Hagen Quartet and Bartok Quartet.
In June 2005, they were awarded three high-class instruments from the Republic of Hungary, a French and an Italian master violin and an Italian master cello. In February of 2008 a replica of a Gasparo da Saly viola was made to the Quartet by Tamas Guminar.
In 2003, they were guests of the Orlando Festival, and in 2004, 2005 and 2007 they attended the Encuentro de Musica y Academia de Santander, in Spain. They also participated in the stage production of Boris Godunov by Pushkin at 'Madach Kamara' Theatre (directed by Balazs Kovalik). In 2002, they were awarded the 'Thomastik-Infeld Prize' in Austria, at the Vienna-Budapest-Prague International Summer Academy; in 2003, the Kodaly First Prize, at the same venue and in 2004, the Bartok First Prize. They were awarded the First Prize of the National Chamber Music Competition named after Ley Weiner in 2003. They were awarded also Artisjus Prize (prize for contemporary music premiers and playing) Hungary.
Since October 2006 they spent a year in Madrid in the Esculea Superior de Musica de Reina Sofia with Rainer Schmidt (Hagen Quartet), and since October 2007 they are students of the Hochschule of Basel in the class of Rainer Schmidt and Walter Levin (LaSalle Quartet).

The ensemble of soloists "Madrigal" was founded in 1965 by legendary composer and harpsichordist Andrey Volkonsky. Under the direction of this outstanding musician a newly created team of associates, that derives its name from the most common musical genre in the Renaissance, became the first performer of Western European music of pre-Bach period in Russia.
Thanks to "Madrigal" Russian and earlier Soviet audience has got the opportunity to get acquainted with the best examples of musical art of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and early Baroque, as well as the works of Russian and Byzantine church music. From the very beginning of its concert life the band, along with madrigals, included scenes from operas and madrigal comedies, dramas liturgical and spiritual mysteries, oratorio, and spiritual songs, ancient dance and instrumental music in its concerts.
What is special in the ensemble "Madrigal", is that the old music is performed on the instruments, authentic to those for which this music was written. Among the instrumental group of the ensemble there are various recorders, crumhorns, cornamusa, bagpipes, lutes, violas, harpsichord, and various percussion instruments. Soloists-vocalists of the ensemble also sing in the authentic manner, trying to observe the style of music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque. The authenticity of performance is an original trademark and a unique technique of the ensemble.
In the early 70-ies, after the departure of A. Volkonsky abroad, "Madrigal" was headed by a famous chamber singer and soloist of the ensemble Lydia Davydova. During the 45 years since its foundation, the ensemble performed hundreds of concerts both at home and abroad. A lot of outstanding Russian musicians worked with "Madrigal". Among them there are Karina, Rusanna and Ruben Lisitsian, Leo Marquis, Alexei Lyubimov, Alfred Schnittke, Oleg Yanchenko, Mark Pekarsky, and many others. They all have left their mark in the interpretation of works, as they are now performed by the ensemble.
The current repertoire of the ensemble is really unique. It combines early examples of European polyphony of the IX - XII centuries, works of 'school of Notre Dame', Guillaume de Machaut, Monteverdi, Palestrina and Orlando Lasso, composers of Netherlands Schools starting with Guillaume Dufay and to Josquin des Prez. They perform also a lot of musical works of the XIV century, a golden time of madrigal, for example works of Clement Janequin or Gesualdo de Venosa; English and Spanish music like works of 'Elizabethans' Henry Purcell and Morales, and, of course, the music of Germany - from Ludwig Senfel to the immediate predecessors of Bach (Schutz, Schein, Kaiser), and works of Bach himself. In the repertoire of the ensemble there is also the music of Byzantium, as well as music of southern Slav peoples - from the "Kontakion" by Roman Sladkopevtsev (XV century) and ancient chants to the spirituals of the late XVII - early XVIII centuries.
Over the last years the ensemble "Madrigal" has participated in many prestigious festivals in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Poland and Italy. And the performance of the ensemble has always found a warm response from both audience and a special press. The success of the ensemble is to a great extent in its dedication to Andrey Volkonsky's idea that, "Music of the Renaissance should be alive and mirthful, and not a museum specimen, as people who lived then."

Lydia Davydova is a Russian chamber singer, who made herself a name in the late sixties of XX century as the first performer of a number of works by Charles Ives, B. Bartok, P. Hindemith, J. Cage, I. Stravinsky. She was the first in Russia to perform the works of the Renaissance and early Baroque long before the ensemble "Madrigal" was founded.
After graduation from the Moscow Conservatory in 1957 as a pianist, she continued her musical education in the vocal department, class under the direction of a well known Moscow pedagogue D.B. Belyavskaya. Her aptitude for performing new music, including compositions written in the so-called 'serial technique', made L. Davydova famous among the connoisseurs of contemporary music, and many composers like A. Volkonsky, E. Denisov, A. Schnittke, Sofia Gubaidulina, A. Raskatov, V. Artemov and several others, who have written their music specifically for her.
L. Davydova came to A. Volkonsky to his newly created ensemble as a vocalist. In the early 70's, after the departure of A. Volkonsky abroad, she took it upon herself to head the ensemble "Madrigal".
From 1983 till 1992, the ensemble was led by Oleg Yanchenko. After his departure, L. Davydova has returned to the post of the head of the ensemble again. Now Lydia Davydova combines her direction of "Madrigal" with the pedagogic work at the Russian State Academy of Slavic. In 2001, Professor L. Davydova was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of Russia.

In 1999, the ensemble 'Musica Da Camera' was awarded the status of the Ensemble of the Philharmonic Society of Saint Petersburg, and in 2005 it won the First Prize at the 8th International Competition named after Pietro Argento in Bari (Italy).
In addition to the masterpieces of European classical music (from Bach to Berg), the repertoire of the ensemble includes works of all periods of Russian music, and especially works of Glinka, Borodin, Rachmaninoff. Russian court music of the early nineteenth century takes a special place in the repertoire, and in particular, some works, which have never been performed before and which were found by the members of the ensemble in Saint Petersburg archives.
Another area of interest of the ensemble is Russian avant-garde of the twentieth century (Deshevov, Mosolov, Roslavetz, Lurie and others). In concert programs of the ensemble there are also works of renowned contemporary composers (Schnittke, Denisov), and the works of young artists, often written specifically for the 'Musica Da Camera '.
The ensemble often performs with the famous singers, soloists of the Mariinsky Theater, the Danish and the Prague Operas.

Duo Petrof is a piano ensemble of two Mexican artists of Russian origin, Anatoly Zatin and Vlada Vassilieva.
The duet began its concert activity in 2003 as a joint project between the University of Colima in Mexico and the Czech Piano Company 'Petrof' with the intention to popularize the music of different epochs and styles, written for a piano duet and for two pianos. In 2008, the Duo became the official representative of the company Petrof worldwide.
The Duo has toured a lot, performing in the most prestigious concert halls in Asia, Europe and America, including the famous Carnegie Hall. In recent years, Duo Petrof gave numerous concerts in Mexico, the United States, Russia and Ukraine. Geography of Duo's touring is quite bizarre, and a performance at the Cultural Centre in Mexico City is followed by a concert in Saint Petersburg, and after this, a participation in the International Piano Festival in Mexico and performance at the Czech Cultural Center in New York.
In 2008, the Duo performed their first world tour, during which they visited Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russia, Mexico, USA and China. In the same year the CD 'Duo Petrof' was successfully presented in Shanghai at the International Music Exhibition.

Anatoly Zatin is a talented musician. He graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory as a pianist (Cass of Y. Ananiev) and a composer (class of S. Slonimsky). Recipient of several international music competitions and participant of numerous festivals in Russia, South Korea, Italy and Hungary, A. Zatin was awarded the UNICEF Medal of Honor for his activities as a pianist and a conductor.
List of the countries, where A. Zatin toured as a composer, pianist and conductor, is extensive. Among them there are Russia, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Finland, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico and the United States.
As a pianist, A. Zatin has recorded numerous CDs at the Russian firm 'Melody', 'Azzura Music' in Italy and 'Aurora Records' in Japan. Currently, the musician is a director of the Music Department of the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Colima in Mexico.

Vlada Vassilieva took an active part in many international piano competitions. As a result, she won the title of laureate of several music forums, held in Mexico, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy and Ukraine. One of the latest prestigious achievements of the pianist is a victory in the piano competition named after Nadia Reisenberg in New York this year.

The sponsor of the duet

Chamber Ensemble 'Soloists of Saint Petersburg', consisting of 16 strings and harpsichord, came into existence in 1987 as a creative community of talented young musicians who have reached at that time a considerable progress both in solo and ensemble music, as well as in orchestral performance. The young artists had a strong desire to create together, to perform chamber music together, and in this effort they followed not only the general principles of aesthetics and performing, but also their personal preferences. And, of course, the most important and fundamental role in creation of a new team played its leader, a wonderful violinist from Saint Petersburg, Mikhail Gantvarg.
Over the last twenty years 'Soloists of Saint Petersburg' have won a well-deserved prestige and wide recognition. Open emotionality, a keen sense of time in music, a high degree of rhythmic breadth and variety of timbre palette are now a kind of a "token" of the ensemble. These peculiarities determine the creative originality of the team; they attract audience's attention and make the contacts with audience alive.
Along with regular performances in the best halls of their native city, 'Soloists of Saint Petersburg' are often on tour. Their concerts in Moscow and other Russian cities, as well as in many CIS countries have brought a well-deserved fame to the team. A successful concert tour to the USA, Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and Finland, the republics of former Yugoslavia, Italy, Hungary and Israel has only strengthened the already high reputation of the ensemble.
The repertoire of "Soloists of St. Petersburg" is wide-ranging and diverse. And at the same time, with all its diversity, it clearly reveals the creative and taste preferences of the ensemble and its artistic director. Among the most frequently performed works there are the best pieces of music of the Baroque and Renaissance (Vivaldi, Corelli, Handel, Bach, Pergolesi), compositions of Viennese classics (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven), masterpieces of romantic music literature (Rossini, Grieg, Tchaikovsky).
Works of Russian and foreign composers of the twentieth century (Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Schnittke, Bartok, Barber, Britten) are an important part of the ensemble's repertoire. Musicians constantly introduce pieces of modern music to the audience, including works of composers of their native city, Saint Petersburg (A. Petrov, B. Arapov, G. Korchmar, P. Gecker).
Working closely with various Russian and foreign record companies, the ensemble has recorded and released about 30 CDs. Among them there are all the piano and violin concertos by Mozart, Vivaldi cycles (L'estro armonico/Harmonic Inspiration, La stravaganza /The Extraordinary, Le quattro stagioni/ Four Seasons), the Great Fugue (Grosse Fuge) of Beethoven's, Sonata by Rossini, instrumental concertos by Bach and many others.

One of the leading violinists of Saint Petersburg, Mikhail Gantvarg is a very prominent and unique figure in the musical life of the city for many years already. People's Artist of Russia, professor, head of the department of violin of St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, he has got a life in many ways typical for a modern Russian artist.
Being a young musician, he achieved a victory at the International Competition named after N. Paganini in Genoa. After that he commenced combining intense solo concerts with the duties of concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra of Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Hall under direction of Yuri Temirkanov, and then later with the pedagogical work at the Conservatory.
By the time the ensemble 'Soloists of Saint Petersburg' was established, Mikhail Gantvarg managed to win a well-deserved prestige and to get fame as a mature musician with his principal creative worldview and performing style. As one of the last heirs and successors to the tradition of the legendary Saint Petersburg school of violin, he is, at the same time, in constant creative search, and often comes to a daring, non-traditional and sometimes paradoxical interpretation performance. His noble and in general classical manner of playing is organically combined with a high degree of freedom and improvisation and with complete absence of dogmatism and routine thinking.
His basic artistic principles Mikhail Gantvarg realizes with his like-minded colleagues, musicians of the chamber ensemble "Soloists of Saint Petersburg", introducing it as a whole and a single creative organism, responsive to the manifestation of the performing will of its leader.

Tomasz Strahl is the youngest Professor of Music in Poland. He graduated in 1989 from the Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw, where he studied cello with Kazimierz Michalik. Thanks to a grant from the Austrian Government, he continued his studies with T. Kohne at the Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. He also studied chamber music with the outstanding violinist Krzysztof Jakowicz, his concert partner for many years.
He won First Prizes at several national and international competitions including the Academic Cello Competition in Warsaw (1987) and the 5th Nicanor Zabaleta International Music Competition in San Sebastian (1991). In 1994 he received a grant from the Polish-Japanese Foundation JESC.
He has performed with prominent conductors (Philippe Entremont, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Wojciech Michniewski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Marek Pijarowski, Tadeusz Strugala, Tomasz Bugaj, Henryk Czyz, Andrey Boreyko, Marcin Nalecz-Niesiolowski, Jose Maria Florencio, Czeslaw Grabowski, Jerzy Kosek, Lukasz Borowicz, Pawel Przytocki, Zygmunt Rychert, Jerzy Salwarowski, Jerzy Swoboda, Tadeusz Wojciechowski, Slawek Adam Wroblewski) and leading orchestras (the National Polish Radio SO, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Polish Chamber Orchestra, the Polish Radio SO, the Sofia Philharmonic, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Concerto Avenna). He also works closely with many outstanding soloists, the Wilanow Quartet, the Silesian Quartet, the Royal String Quartet and the Prima Vista Quartet.
He has performed in such prestigious halls as the Schauspielhaus in Berlin, Brucknersaal in Linz, St. John's Smith Square in London, Art Center in Tel Aviv, Toppan Hall in Tokyo, L'Auditorii in Barcelona and the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall. Foreign tours have taken him to Japan, Canada and Spain (with the Silesian Philharmonic). Together with the pianist Krzysztof Jablonski, he performed music to a ballet Fortepianissimo (Warsaw's Grand Theatre). Tomasz Strahl has been invited to many festivals, including the Warsaw Autumn, Music in Old Krakow, Bravo Maestro, the Festival in Guadix (Spain), 'Chopin a Paris', the Cello Festival in Caracas, the Chopin Festivals in Duszniki-Zdroj and Antonin, the Polish Piano Festival in Slupsk, the Organ Festival in Kamien Pomorski, the Music Festival in Bydgoszcz and Warsaw Music Encounters. A major highlight in Tomasz Strahl's career was the performance of Witold Lutoslawski's Cello Concerto in 1993, in the composer's presence. Strahl has to his credit the first performance
of Piotr Moss's Cello Concerto No. 2 (with the National Polish Radio SO, 2005) and the premiere recording of a recently discovered Cello Concerto by Zygmunt Stojowski (with the National Polish Radio SO, 2006).
Tomasz Strahl and the pianist Krzysztof Jablonski are the founders of the Chopin Duo. Tomasz Strahl has made numerous recordings for Polish Radio and Polish Television, CBC Radio in Canada, as well as on various labels (Pony Canyon, CD Accord, Polish Radio Katowice, Pavane Records, Gema Stereo, Pol-Music, Acte Prealable, Sony Classics). He received the 'Fryderyk' Prize of the Polish recording industry (2003), as well as three nominations for this prize.
He has also developed a successful teaching career. He is in charge of cello classes at the Music Academies in Warsaw and Lodz. He also gives master classes in Poland, Holland, Finland, Germany, Japan (Kyoto University of Arts) and South America. He received the title of Professor in June 2001 and the Golden Cross of Merit in 2002. In 2005 he gave a series of lectures and concerts at the prestigious International Academy 'Vienna-Prague-Budapest'.
Tomasz Strahl plays on a Leopold Widhalm cello (Nurnberg, 1778).

Edward Wolanin started to play piano at the age of five, under the guidance of Urszula Hop. He graduated from the music school in Rzeszow (class of Krystyna Matheis-Domaszewska). He was the youngest student in the history of Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Edward Wolanin studied under Professor Jan Ekier, Professor Bronislawa Kawalla and Professor Jerzy Marchwinski. After getting a diploma he continued his studies under Professor Jan Ekier.
Edward Wolanin was successful at many different national and international competitions. While studying he got many scholarships. At the 11th International Chopin Piano Competition he got an award for the best Polish pianist who did not get to the 3rd stage. Three weeks later Edward Wolanin got the 2nd Prize at the 2nd International Chopin Competition in Palma de Mallorca (1985). In 1989 he won the 1st Prize at the 3rd European Chopin Competition in Darmstadt.
Edward Wolanin's concert repertoire includes works from different epochs, from Domenico Scarlatti to Romuald Twardowski and other modern composers. As a soloist he performed with such orchestras as Polish Radio Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrzej Mysinski's Concerto Avenna, and National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice. He performed with such conductors as Boguslaw Madey, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Tadeusz Strugala, Antoni Wit, Tadeusz Wojciechowski and Marek Pijarowski.
Edward Wolanin performs also as a chamber music player, working with such musicians as Jerzy Artysz, Tomasz Strahl, Krzysztof and Kuba Jakowicz. He gave concerts in many European cities (Paris, London, Vienna, Rotterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Moscow) and performed also in Japan, China, Iraq, Jordan, Tunisia, Kuwait, Nigeria, Mexico and the USA. He took part also in prestigious music festivals: in Duszniki-Zdroj, Slupsk, Antonin, Nohant, Schleswig-Holstein, and Montpelhier.
Edward Wolanin made many TV and radio recordings and released CDs with solo and chamber music. His records include works by Fryderyk Chopin, Romuald Twardowski, Jozef Wieniawski, Karol Szymanowski and Johannes Brahms.

In 2006, Igudesman & Joo had their own Chamber Music & Comedy Festival in Kastav, Croatia, and in 2009, they toured Germany, Holland, and Belgium as part of the 'Night of the Proms', appearing in front of half a million people, next to, and together with rock legends such as Simple Minds, Kim Wilde, Sinead O'Connor, Live, Tears For Fears, 10CC, Midge Ure from Ultravox, Dennis De Young from Styx, and Robin Gibb from the Bee Gees.
Igudesman & Joo recently joined forces with Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica for a new comedy and music project titled 'Cinema & Comedy: The Rise And Fall Of A Classical Musician' can be seen at the Schleswig-Holstein and Rheingau Festival, but also in Asia, Europe, and Russia in tours over the next years. Since the critically and publicly acclaimed premier of 'A Little Nightmare Music' in 2004 in the Vienna Musikverein, one of the most prestigious venue for classical music in the world, Igudesman & Joo, have been taking the classical music world, as well as theaters and festivals around the world by storm. Invitations followed to perform in Norway, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Croatia, and Austria. Prestigious musicians, such as the world famous violinists, Gidon Kremer, Julian Rachlin and Janine Jansen, immediately invited the unique duo to perform at their respective festivals in Lockenhaus, Dubrovnik, and Utrecht.
Furthermore, they have been re-invited to perform several times in the Vienna Musikverein in the fall of 2006. In July that year they were invited by star cellist Natalia Gutman to perform in the Oleg Kagan Festival in Kreuth, Germany, where they also played several numbers together. Igudesman & Joo run their own Chamber Music & Comedy Festival in Kastav, Croatia, where thy invite top notch classical musicians to perform chamber music, theater and comedy together with them.
Future plans include their zany view on Mozart, with their project 'Mozart? No, Thank You!', as well as performances of 'A Little Nightmare Music' in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, USA, UK, Holland, Austria, Germany and Italy.
On the internet forum YouTube their clips have been watched over 10 million times, to date. A one-hour version of an early performance in the Vienna Musikverein of Igudesman & Joo: 'A Little Nightmare Music' is available on their homepage. Igudesman & Joo also have a show, which they do with symphony- and chamber orchestras, called 'A Big Nightmare Music.' They are currently writing on a TV series, mixing classical music with humour.

Born in St. Petersburg, virtuosic versatile violinist Aleksey Igudesman is also an internationally acclaimed composer, comedian, and conductor. Aleksey studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School, and later at the Vienna Conservatoire with Boris Kuschnir. He has played and worked with some of the biggest icons of the music world that include Bobby McFerrin, Billy Joel, Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer and star violinists Julian Rachlin and Janine Jansen. He is a founding member of the internationally renowned string trio 'TRIOLOGY'.
The group has recorded several CDs for the BMG label, including one with the legendary jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel. Igudesman's playing and arrangements are also featured on the soundtracks of Disney's 'The Road to El Dorado' and the movie 'Spanglish' by Academy Award winner James L. Brooks. His love of comedy and classical music led him to found his 'Music & Comedy Company'. As a composer, Igudesman's works are performed worldwide by numerous orchestras, such as the Ambassade Orchestra, Vienna and the San Remo Symphony Orchestra, where he is also a regular guest conductor. His music is published by Universal Edition. Aleksey Igudesman plays a Santo Serafin 1717 violin, kindly loaned to him by ERSTE BANK.

Born in England, of South Korean parents, Richard Hyung-ki Joo began his formal training in the UK at the Menuhin School with Peter Norris and Seta Tanyel and later earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Nina Svetlanova. Other teachers include Richard Goode and Oleg Maisenberg. Hailed by Yehudi Menuhin as 'a most engaging human being of great talent' the British-Korean pianist, composer, and, creator and star of 'IGUDESMAN&JOO: A Little Nightmare Music', Richard Hyung-ki Joo, has captivated audiences throughout the world with his multi-dimensional artistry and irresistible charisma. Grand Prize Winner of the Stravinsky International Piano Competition, he has performed all around the world including venues such as Carnegie Hall, Musikverein, Barbican Hall, and a command performance for the US President at the White House. The legendary songwriter, Billy Joel, chose Joo to arrange and record Joel's classical piano pieces for the album 'Fantasies and Delusions' which was released on the Sony Classical label. It was recorded at the Mozart-Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus, and reached the No.1 spot on the Billboard charts for eighteen weeks.